Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator Craughwell on behalf of everyone who signed the motion that was circulated last week. It is to commemorate the Holodomor, which means in Ukrainian “inflicting death by starvation” on the Ukrainian people, which happened during 1932 and 1933.This was an horrific genocide cast upon the Ukrainian people during those years by the totalitarian Stalinist regime. I was not aware of the genocide until it was brought to my attention by the chairperson of the friendship group here in the Oireachtas, my colleague Deputy Brendan Smith. When I started researching the matter I could not believe that it is not listed as one of the most horrendous genocides remembered throughout the world. Unfortunately, there have been too many genocides down through the generations.

In spite of the horrific circumstances the Ukrainian people are enduring because of the Russian dictatorial Stalinist regime that is in existence at the moment, the Ukrainian people will commemorate next Saturday the 90th anniversary of the genocide perpetrated on their people. I ask the Deputy Leader to accept this motion without debate so that Seanad Éireann can join the many Parliaments throughout the European Union and the world that have commemorated this horrific disaster. They have already passed a motion in support of the commemoration and I ask that this House does the same.